The Synagogues and Churches of Ancient Palestine

Present-day Jews and Christians look back to the literary traditions in the first seven centuries for information about how their ancestors lived and worshipped. But these ancestors left a wealth of non-literary sources that reveal much. Archaeology can provide us with a new way of understanding the most important elements of our religious traditions. Hundreds of ancient synagogues and churches have been excavated in Palestine. Most follow the Graeco-Roman basilica as the basic architectural form. This book examines the adaptations made of this basic form because of the different patterns of worship in Judaism and Christianity. Also the variations in the basilica show the desire of individual communities to differentiate themelves from their neighbours. Most of the sites discussed have been excavated in the last 20 years and many can be visited. Some of the churches continue to function as places of worship. The number, size and ornamentation of ancient synagogues and churches in Palestine show the strength and vitality of both Judaism and Christianity in the Roman and Byzantine periods.